Did you ever read those 1970s "A Very Young..." photo books by Jill Krementz? I finally got my own copy of A Very Young Dancer (behind the scenes at NY City Ballet in the late-Balanchine era!!!) but I bet you'd get a kick out of A Very Young Circus Flyer. It's the only one about a boy, and it was the first one with color photos. The kid is the youngest member of a long-time circus family and does a trapeze act w/ dad and brother. Mom does something with died-pink poodles and you get to see her coloring them pink. Awesome.

God, I loved those books--I, too, checked them out of the library all the damn time. I grew up in Oregon and I distinctly remember having a snobbish reaction to the local ballet company's production of Nutcracker when I was 7 or so because I was judging it against the NYC Ballet version. Not that I had seen it anywhere but in the book. Or....been to NYC.

a great long while ago P.T. Barnum had a seemingly incredible museum in NYC, it burnt down in 1846 but I really think it must have been a dreamland. This little summary has been making me wish and wish I could just move time backwards... oh... just 160 years or so!!!

From between the upper windows, giant paintings of animals drew stares from pedestrians. The roof was transformed to a strolling garden with a view of the city, where hot-air balloon rides were launched daily. To the static exhibits of stuffed animals were added a changing series of live acts and "curiosities", including albinos, giants, jugglers, magicians, "exotic women", detailed models of cities and famous battles, and eventually a menagerie of animals....

Just found your beauty-of-a-blog and am absolutely captivated by it!!!!!! EGAD, such JEWELS!

The X-files episodes involving the circus or their "freaks" will always be in the top 10 for me!

A friend just lent me Carnivale. An HBO show from a while back. They only made 2 seasons and being an HBO show it's graphic at times (lots of eye shutting at the "cootch" dances.) but it is a small consolation for me now that the X-files is over. If such vulgarity doesn't offend your delicate sensibilities then do check it out. ;-)

Thank you for sharing your beautiful photos with a girl stuck in a deserty valley in California. Your life is the thing that my dreams are made out of! Oh to be surrounded by so much GREEN!